What is missing in the patriarcal tradition

When you read the cristmas story in the bible you (as a mom) will miss one thing: No one speaks of the midwife.
She must have been there. I imagine a cold and starry night (sounds like a novel of Snoopy but who cares), she has just helped a little one to come into live. She is tired and bathes her hot face in the fresh air. In a hurry a man comes round the corner and runs into her. He is begging for pardon. "Please tell me, where can I find the midwife? My dear wife is expecting her first child and she told me that her labours have begun." He is quite breathless. She sucks. The woman in the hud behind her has had a hard work to do to give birth. Once or twice she had thought things would take a bad turn. She had looked forward to have a long quiet rest. And now the next child and its mother are waiting for her.
"We have just arrived" he tells her. "I live in Nazareth now but I was born here in Bethlehem so we came for the census." He was born here? Who was his mother? What is his name? He tells her. Ahh, she remembers. She was still young then and just learning to be a midwife. Her mother had taught her all she had to know. And Josef's birth was the first one she was guiding, her mother only in the background for emergencies. So now she shall help his child. That is what she loves about this work.
OMG, they didn't find place in the tavern. So the landlord showed them to the stable. At least it is warm inside there. The young wife is wagging back and forward as she enters. A contraction. She is relieved. That woman looks calm and even happy as if filled with light. That should not be too hard. What is her name? Mary. She makes Mary lay down so she can take a look how deep in labor she is. It won't take much longer. She sends Josef for water. Then she takes some herbs from her pack for to fumigate them. Mary stays calm, the pain is not too bad. What a strange birth! It is going faster than she ever had seen it at a woman that gave birth the irst time! It is just half an hour Josef came to fetch her and now Mary starts pressing. And it is so easy. Not much pain, no hurts, no rupures. Not much to do for her but to take the boychild into her arms and lay him into the arms of his mother. She cuts the umbilical cord (is there no better word?) while Josef comes back with the water.
Alarmed she jumps to her feet. While the placenta comes out music sounds all around her. Voices ring in the air. Wings woosh through the stable. A whole choir of angels burst into song. The "Halleluja" makes her shake. What is that all about? The Messias? She, a simple midwife, has helped the Messias to be born? But she is proud of her work even if it was not so much she had to do. As usual she says a little prayer to thank God for a good birth.

Only two weeks later Mary has to escape to Egypt. How shall that work out? Mary is still healing from birth, she should have a calm time, resting and nursing, nothing more.
She, the midwife, stays, crying. This cruel Herodes! Doesn't he know how hard it is to give birth? She curses him. The worst curses she can think of she lays on him.

Maybe I will not find so much time the next weeks, so Merry Christmas to you all, or happy Hannukka or whatever you celebrate! And happy New Year!